Ark. Supreme Court speeds up timeline on same-sex marriage case

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas’ highest court has moved up its deadline for a group of same-sex couples to respond to a bid to halt a judge’s ruling that struck down the state’s gay marriage ban.

The Arkansas Supreme Court gave attorneys for the group of gay couples challenging the ban until 2 p.m. Friday to respond to the motion for a stay of Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza’s ruling striking down all measures preventing gay couples from marrying.

The court had initially given the attorneys until Monday at noon to respond. It was unclear how quickly justices would act.

Piazza last week struck down a 2004 constitutional amendment and a 1997 state law banning gay marriage. He expanded that order on Thursday to include all state laws preventing gay couples from marrying.